Meet Marisa >>>>>

She’s the blogger behind FOOD IN JARS.com and is visiting us on 11/15 to talk about small batch preserving. Kinda perfect for your teeny/awkward NYC kitchen.

She’s going to show you how to make a pear-ginger jam and how to make the most of the recipes in her new book. There are a lot of tasty gems in this book, from jams to syrups to chutneys.  Marisa will also be signing books at this event, and there will be plenty of tastings and snacks to enjoy. Registration includes a copy of “Food in Jars”!

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Teaser recipe!  Marisa’s Quince Jelly

From “Food in Jars”
Makes 4 (half-pint/250 ml) jars

Quince is somewhat obscure but absolutely worth tracking down. It has fuzzy skin like a peach and smells intensely floral when fresh. It has incredibly dense flesh and is far too astringent to be eaten raw. When the flesh is chopped and simmered with water, it relaxes, turns vividly red and becomes wonderfully edible.  It is the primary ingredient in membrillo, that rosy-hued fruit paste that is often served with Spanish cheese. Look for it in your local farmers’ markets or ask an area orchard if they have some you can buy. (The Brooklyn Kitchen occasionally carries it, depending on what we’re getting in from farms that week.)

5 pounds/2.3 kg quince
4 cups/800 grams granulated sugar
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Core the quince and chop it into rough cubes. Combine quince pieces with 3 quarts/2.8 liters of water in a large stock pot set over high heat. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, until the fruit and liquid turn a deep pink color. The liquid should have reduced by approximately half and the chunks of quince should be very soft when crushed with the back of a wooden spoon. When it’s done, strain the juice from the pulp using a fine mesh sieve or jelly bag, taking care not to pressure or squeeze the quince pulp. Forcing liquid from the pulp will make your jelly cloudy. Let pulp drain for 3 to 4 hours, reserving the juice.

Prepare a boiling water bath and 4 half-pint/250 ml jars according to the process in “Food in Jars.” Place the lids in a small saucepan, ocver them with water, and simmer over very low heat.

In a large, nonreactive pot, combine 5 cups/1.2 liters of the reserved quince juice, sugar, and lemon juice and bring them to a boil over high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for 15 to 25 minutes, until the volume in the pot is greatly reduced.  Clip a candy thermometer to the pot and stir occasionally until the jelly reaches 220 degrees F/105 degrees C.  It should look thick, with the bubbles like molten lava.

When the jelly has reached 220 degrees F/105 degrees C, pour it into the prepared jars.  Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes according to the process in  ”Food in Jars.”